TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

1.      Introduction/ Background                                                                                                       

Pak Mission Society (PMS), in partnership with Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS), is implementing the Oceanpreneurs: Building Blue Economy Start-ups at Lasbela University to Counter Violent Extremism project. The initiative aims to equip 40 university students with practical, market-driven entrepreneurship skills in priority blue economy sectors, leading to the development of at least 8 viable start-ups within a three-month implementation period.

The purpose of this assignment is to engage a qualified digital marketing consultant/trainer to design and deliver a structured, hands-on digital marketing training programme tailored to youth-led start-ups operating in blue economy and related sectors. The digital marketing training will support project objectives by strengthening participants’ market access, online presence, ethical digital engagement, and resilience against misinformation, while contributing to enterprise sustainability and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) outcomes.

2.      Purpose of assignment                                                                                         

The purpose of this assignment is to develop and deliver a comprehensive, practical, and market-informed digital marketing training programme that equips university students with the skills required to plan, implement, and manage digital marketing strategies for start-ups and early-stage enterprises. The training will enable participants to use digital tools and platforms strategically to identify target markets, attract and retain customers, promote products and services, and support revenue generation. It will also strengthen future skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, creativity, data-driven decision-making, and responsible digital citizenship.

3.      Objectives                                                                                                          

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

1. Design and deliver a structured, learner-centred digital marketing curriculum aligned with early-stage entrepreneurship and start up development.
2. Equip participants with practical skills to build and manage an effective online presence across relevant digital platforms.
3. Strengthen participant’s capacity to link digital marketing activities with sales customer acquisition, and revenue generation.
4. Enhance understanding of ethical, responsible, and inclusive digital marketing practices.
5. Build future skills including critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, data analysis, and problem solving in digital environments.
6. Support enterprise development through practical application of digital marketing strategies within business plans, market validation, and pitch preparation.
7. Develop tailored facilitator and participant training materials that support hand-on learning and real world application.

4.      Scope of work                                                                                                             

The consultant/firm will undertake the following tasks:

4.1 Review & Analysis

• Review the project documentation, entrepreneurship frameworks, and relevant digital marketing components within the Oceanpreneurs project.
• Identify priority sectors, target audiences, digital platforms, risks, and opportunities relevant to youth led start-ups.

4.2 Curriculum Design

The consultant/firm will design a modular training curriculum structured around the following four core themes:

Module 1: Introduction to Digital Marketing for start-ups

• Overview of digital marketing and its role in start-up growth
• Understanding customer journeys and digital touch points.
• Aligning digital marketing goals with business objectives.
• Introduction to owned, earned and paid media

Module 2: Market Research and Target Audience Identification

• Digital market research tools and techniques
• Customer segmentation and buyer personas
• Understanding customer needs, behaviours, and online habits
• Competitor analysis in digital space

Module 3: Building an Online presence

• Basics of branding and positioning for start-up
• Website fundamentals and lading pages
• Search engine optimization (SEO) basics
• Creating consistent brand identity across platforms.  

Module 4: Social Media Marketing

• Overview of major social media platforms and their business use
• Content planning and content calendars
• Organic vs. paid social media strategies
• Community management and customer engagement

Module 5: Content Creation and Storytelling

• Principles of effective digital content
• Visual content, copywriting, and storytelling for start-ups
• Low-cost content creation tools and techniques
• Using digital platforms to increase revenue and market access
• Ethical and responsible messaging

Module 6: Digital Advertising and Budgeting

• Introduction to paid digital advertising (social media and search)
• Setting campaign objectives and budgets
• Basic ad targeting and performance tracking
• Cost-effective customer acquisition strategies

Module 7: Digital Ethics, Safety, and Responsible Online Engagement

• Ethical digital marketing practices
• Online safety, data privacy, and cyber awareness
• Countering misinformation and harmful narratives online
• Responsible civic and economic engagement in digital spaces

4.3 Development of Training Materials

Development of training materials development of training materials

• Detailed session plans and learning objectives
• Facilitator manual with guidance notes and exercises
• Student workbook with tools, templates, and assignments
• Case studies drawn from local and regional blue economy enterprises
• Pre- and post-training assessment tools
• Start-up readiness and feasibility scoring matrix
• Performance tracking templates, Group assignments, practical exercises, and reflection tools
• Present draft curriculum to PMS and LUAWMS for validation
• Incorporate feedback from faculty, industry mentors, and PMS
• Finalize curriculum and all associated tools

4.4 Assessment & Learning Tools

4.5 Validation & Finalization

5.      Methodology                                                                                            

The consultant is expected to adopt a participatory and applied approach, including:

• Desk review of relevant market analysis, digital ecosystem assessments, and sector-specific findings
• Consultations with PMS, LUAWMS faculty, and industry mentors
• Curriculum benchmarking with relevant digital marketing, entrepreneurship programmes
• Hands on exercise, simulations, and real-life cases studies
• Iterative validation and refinement of training content
• ·        Contract Duration: (Maximum 30 Days Include 05 Days Training)
• ·        Start and End Date: 05^th January to 04^th February 2026

6.      Timeframe                                                                                                          

7.    Deliverables and work plan                                                                                    

The consultant/firm will deliver following work plan/timeline and deliverables within five days training schedule.

8.    Reporting and coordination                                                                                    

The consultant will report to the program lead and project manager of PMS. The consultant will work under their overall technical guidance and supervision and will be responsible for maintaining regular coordination, providing progress updates, and ensuring timely submission of all agreed deliverables in line with PMS standards and project.

9.      Eligibility Criteria                                                                                                                     

B. Financial Evaluation (30 Points)

10.  Desired Competencies, Technical Background, and Experience                                             

The consultant/trainer must possess an advanced degree (Master’s level or above) in Marketing, Business Administration, Digital Media, Communications, or a closely related discipline. Additional certifications or formal training in digital marketing, entrepreneurship, curriculum development, instructional design, or adult learning methodologies will be considered a strong asset.

2. Professional Experience

The consultant/trainer must have a minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in designing and delivering digital marketing training or related capacity-building programmes. This experience should include developing structured, learner-centred training curricula; preparing digital marketing learning materials; facilitating interactive and practical training sessions; mentoring entrepreneurs or youth; and supporting early-stage enterprises in digital marketing strategy, planning, implementation, and performance management.

3. Sectoral Expertise

The consultant/trainer must demonstrate strong technical expertise in digital marketing for early-stage enterprises, including but not limited to the use and management of digital marketing tools and platforms, digital campaign planning, budget allocation, paid advertising tools, and performance management. Evidence of this expertise must be demonstrated through previous assignments, training manuals, curricula, digital marketing strategies, or other relevant work samples.

4. Youth, Gender, and Fragile Contexts

The consultant/trainer must demonstrate a solid understanding of youth engagement, gender equality, and programming in fragile or conflict-affected contexts. Proven experience working with university students, youth groups, women, or marginalized populations is required, along with the ability to design and deliver training that is inclusive, culturally appropriate, conflict-sensitive, and aligned with social cohesion and CVE objectives.

5. Facilitation and Curriculum Development Skills

The consultant/trainer must possess excellent facilitation, instructional design, and curriculum development skills, with a proven ability to design and develop learner-centred digital marketing curricula, facilitator manuals, participant workbooks, and assessment tools. The consultant/trainer must have demonstrated experience in applying participatory and experiential learning methodologies, including group work, hands-on practical exercises, case studies, simulations, and structured reflection. Strong written and verbal communication skills in English are essential.

11.  Technical Proposal                                                                                                

The applicant must submit the following document with the technical proposal.

• Company profile/consultant profile including the proof of relevant experiences.
• CVs of proposed staff who will lead the assignment and are involved in assignment.
• Plan of action for the proposed assignment.
• Work plan for the proposed assignment.
• Sample road map of previously completed similar assignments.

12.  Financial Proposal                                                                                               

• Proposed financial offer with a complete breakdown of activities.
• The financial proposal must be submitted in PKR inclusive of all applicable taxes.

13.   How to Apply                                                                                                                 

Interested individual consultants/ consulting firms are invited to submit their technical and financial proposals in sealed envelopes, clearly marked the subjected consultancy, via courier service or by hand to House No. 333, Street 29, Sector G14/4, Islamabad, Pakistan on or before 29th December 2025 before the close of business (COB) i.e. on or before 5pm. Soft copies will be shared through email [email protected]

late submissions will not be entertained. For inquiries, please contact the Procurement Committee through email at [email protected] or by phone at +92-51-8446166.